Radio and MusicMatt Seinberg

I like 1970s Classic Rock and Contemporary
Country music. In the 1970's, rock was straightforward and the
lyrics were understandable. "Boston," the "Doobie Brothers,"
"Steely Dan," "Fleetingness Mac" and others recorded music that has
held up over the years. We have favourite songs, from the 1970s,
that we can name and hum without thinking.

Why, today, do I like 1970s Rock and
Contemporary Country music? There seems such a disparity. Still, I
wonder.

I find Country Music, from the 70's, whiney
and rural. Today, Country is much more upbeat, with some great
artists, such as Brooks and Dunn, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Tim
McGraw, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, "Rascal Flatts"
and Carrie Underwood.

What stinks is the New York and Long Island
area does not have a Country Music radio station. Sure, we have
WLTW-FM high-density radio (HD1) and WALK-FM HD1, but nothing on AM
or FM, which everyone can receive. I just put an HD radio in my
car, so I'm happy on that count.

I understand advertising agencies won't buy
time on a Country station, for their clients, because the
demographics are not right. Are they kidding? The typical
metropolitan Country Music fan has the disposable income
advertisers covet! If the desirable audience doesn't exist, why do
most top-ten radio markets have one or more Country Music stations?

This is another example of corporate radio
misreading the market. Clear Channel, CBS, Emmis, Spanish
Broadcasting System (SBS), Univision and Citadel own most signals
in New York City. When one, of these chains, changes a station
format, Country Music doesn't have a chance.

How do these radio chains choose a format to
put on a radio station? If a format is doing poorly in the ratings,
the hole in available formats should top the list of possibilities.
This, however, is my hope and not the truth.

Market research is a big part of the decision,
as is public relations. Research usually infers the radio chain
must play it safe: use a format everyone uses. When the station and
format, in question, is a market heritage, that is, long-standing
and listener favourite, a public relations nightmare follows a
decision to change.

On 3 July 2005, the CBS radio chain flipped
the formats for two of its New York City stations: Oldies WCBS-FM
became JACK-FM and Rock WXRK-FM became Hot Talk WFNY Free-FM. What
a mess. Beloved and famous radio personalities, such as "Cousin
Brucie," that is, Bruce Murrow, lost their jobs.

Outranged, fans of WCBS-FM picketed outside
the CBS corporate headquarters. They also picked the Hudson Street
studios of WCBS-FM. Staid CBS felt a moment of chaos. Oldies fans
are loyal: they wanted their radio station and the DJs that
mattered to them back, immediately.

What CBS should have done was leave WCBS-FM
alone and flip WXRK-FM to Country Music. The CBS corporate research
was wrong or not done. JACK-FM is a low cost and high revenue
format, devised by the CHUM radio chain, in Canada; the goal was to
make money and nothing else.

Smeared by the media, Joel Hollander,
president of CBS Radio, took cover. Changing a heritage format is
risky. JACK-FM was the work of the enemy. Oldies fans made sure
their message got out; the format change was national news.

JACK-FM, a radio franchise, of sorts, relies
on a single voice, Howard Cogan. His unctuous voice provided what
personality JACK-FM had. Remember, CHUM radio, which created the
JACK-FM format, did so to make money: one voice, paid well, saves
much money.

On 12 July 2007, WCBS-FM reverted to the
Oldies format as "New York's Greatest Hits!" It wasn't the same
station, but enough remained to satisfy most former fans. The
return to the heritage format coincided when Dan Mason replaced
Joel Hollander as President of CBS Radio.

Some WCBS-FM air personalities, such as Bob
Shannon, Pat St. John and Dan Taylor returned. "Broadway" Bill Lee
joined the lineup, formerly working WQHT-FM and WKTU-FM. Joe Causi,
formerly of sister station WNEW-FM Mix 102.7 and WKTU-FM, also joined as did one
of my long-time radio sisters, Sue O'Neal also joined the new
lineup.

Sue O'Neal has been in New York since 1977.
She worked WXLO-FM 99X, WQHT-FM, WKTU-FM, WNEW-FM Mix 102.7 and
WCBS-FM, in 1994. Sue was also the first woman on-air personality
at WCBS-FM.

When Emmis dropped smooth jazz on WQCD-FM, in
New York City, in 2008, the rumour was they would change to either
Country or Rock. Well, Rock won; the City then had three Rock
formats. WRXP-FM is the "Rock Experience"; WAXQ-FM is Q104.3 and
WXRK-FM, again, rocked.

The three-way competition didn't last. In
2009, WXRK-FM changed to Current Hit Radio (CHR). Rock radio fans,
in New York City, have much choice. Country Music fans remain in
the void.

Matt Seinberg lives on Long Island, a few minutes east of New York City. He looks at everything around him and notices much. Somewhat less cynical than dyed in the wool New Yorkers, Seinberg believes those who don't see what he does
like reading about what he sees and what it means to him. Seinberg columns revel in the silly little things of life and laughter as well as much well-directed anger at inept, foolish public officials. Mostly, Seinberg writes for those who laugh easily at their own foibles as well as those of others.